Chamberlain MyQ vs Nexx Garage – What’s the best WiFi garage door opener?

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“Did I remember to close the garage door?” This is a common question that most of us hear occasionally. In my family, this question was asked at least once a week while we were either sitting on the couch late at night or just hit the road heading somewhere. I can’t count the number of U-turns I’ve made to head back home and check to find 99% of the time the garage door was closed.

This all changed once we installed a smart garage door opener. With most smart garage door openers, you have the ability to remotely check, open/close, and receive notifications directly on your mobile devices. You can let a family member or friend into the garage from anywhere and some offer the ability to give them access to the opener functions as well.
While many newer garage door motors have built-in smart controls, in most cases you’ll be looking to add smart controls to your existing door. This is where leading products like Chamberlain MyQ and Nexx Garage NXG-100 will work on with most major brands to add smart features to your garage door at a low cost.

WiFi Garage Door Opener Comparison

Chamberlain MyQ

Pros

Pros
  • Broad compatibility to work with most garage door opener motors
  • Connects to Nest to set home/away status
  • Minimal wiring required for easy installation
  • Works with Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and IFTTT (subscription required)

Cons

Cons
  • Subscription ($1/month or $10/year) required to work with Google Assistant, IFTTT, and other smart devices
  • Does not work with Amazon Alexa without IFTTT

Nexx Garage NXG-100

Pros

Pros
  • Supports a large number of garage door motor models
  • Built-in automatic garage door opening (geofencing)
  • Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT with no subscription fees
  • Flexibility to give family/friends access to opener controls

Cons

Cons
  • Requires long-distance wired connection (near garage door to door motor)
  • Not compatible with Apple HomeKit

Detailed WiFi Garage Door Opener Review

Review Categories:

  • Ease of Install
  • Smart Features
  • Mobile App Design
  • Pricing

EASE OF INSTALL

There are similar, but considerable differences in installation steps required for the Chamberlain MyQ and Nexx Garage NXG-100 garage door openers. It’s recommended to check your WiFi signal in the garage first to make sure you have a strong connection. If not, you may want to relocate your router or purchase a WiFi Extender.

How to setup Chamberlain MyQ garage door opener:

  1. Mount the Door Sensor to the inside of your garage door (upper right corner suggested).
  2. Mount the Wi-Fi Hub next to your garage door opener and plug it in. You will likely need to mount it to the ceiling using a couple screws and included brackets. No additional wiring is required.
  3. Download the free MyQ app and follow the instructions to connect to your MyQ Hub.

How to setup Nexx Garage NXG-100 garage door opener:

  1. Mount the bottom sensor (without wire) to the top of the garage door.
  2. Mount the top sensor (with wire) directly above the bottom sensor.
  3. Secure the Nexx Garage device to the top of the door motor.
  4. Run the wire from the top sensor to the Nexx Garage device.
  5. Download the free Nexx Garage app and follow the instructions to connect to your device.

Advantage: Chamberlain MyQ

SMART FEATURES

The Chamberlain MyQ and Nexx Garage both have the ability to remotely open, close, and check the status of your garage door. This includes the ability to set up custom notifications when the door has been opened or is open outside of a schedule. These notifications make sure you don’t leave the garage open overnight or can let you know when it’s open while you’re away on vacation.

This is where combining the smart garage door opener with a smart security camera mounted in your garage can be useful. Unfortunately, neither of these products offer integrated cameras like the Garadget Garage Door Opener offers so you can’t see if it’s your spouse taking groceries in the house or is an unexpected or unwanted visitor. However, it is easy to use any other IP based security camera inside your garage (read our review of top cameras).

Chamberlain MyQ Garage Door Opener
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[/caption]A benefit the Nexx Garage has over the Chamberlain MyQ is the built-in geofencing capability to automatically open the garage when you’re in range. Surprisingly, this feature works well on the Nexx Garage most of the time given the reliability issues with geofencing. You may occasionally run into delays or the door may close if it’s already open, but this feature is still being improved by Nexx. At this time, the geofencing does not include the ability to automatically close the garage door when you drive away from your house. Ultimately, geofencing can still be achieved with the Chamberlain MyQ, but it requires the use of IFTTT and accompanying subscription.

Nexx Garage NXG-100 Garage Door Opener
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[/caption]

One neat feature of the Chamberlain MyQ is the integration with the Nest Learning Thermostat (see our Smart Thermostat review) to let it know when you’re home or away. This helps you reduce heating/cooling costs even further by triggering the thermostat to reduce usage when you’re not home.

In terms of connectivity with voice control products, the main difference is that Chamberlain MyQ works with Apple HomeKit where Nexx Garage does not. However, this benefit is partially offset by the need to subscribe in order to use Google Home, IFTTT, and other features.

Overall, the smarts between these two garage door openers are very similar. One gap both products have is the integrated camera to allow you to see who triggered the garage to open and whether anyone is still in the garage. You can utilize any other third-party security camera, but if you really need this feature then you’ll need to consider the Garadget Garage Door Opener.

Advantage: Tie

MOBILE APP DESIGN

The mobile apps for both products are similar in style and functionality. The apps allow you to open and close the garage door, track activity, receive notifications/alerts, and modify security settings. The ratings on the Google Play and Apple App Store clearly favor the Chamberlain MyQ app. Users have reported issues with the Nexx Garage ranging from logging in, notifications not working properly, and overall complaints about the interface.

In short, the Nexx Garage app is pretty basic where the Chamberlain MyQ app appears they had the user in mind when working on the design.

Advantage: Chamberlain MyQ

PRICING

Chamberlain MyQ

Note: You will need a Premium MyQ Subscription to use voice controls and access with Google Home, IFTTT, and several other services. Each partner requires it’s own subscription. Costs are $1.00 a month or $10.00 a year per partner.

Nexx Garage NXG-100


Recommended WiFi Garage Door Opener

The Chamberlain MyQ (Buy Now) is our top recommended garage door opener. It works with most existing garage doors and has many smart features that work well in practice. While other products offer built-in geofencing or video capabilities, the Chamberlain MyQ is a clear leader in smart garage doors. Check here to see if your garage door is compatible.

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